


Blood Echoes

by Dabberdees



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, Ryan and Graham are vibing, Spoopy Hotel of Mystery, The Satan Pit vibes, Thirteen is Mardy, Yaz is concerned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dabberdees/pseuds/Dabberdees
Summary: A signal beamed into the TARDIS leads the Doctor and her friends to the Lunar Hotel, a grand complex built upon the moon of Zhugi.Now, if only she could figure out why humans are disappearing without a trace, and why no one seems to be bothered when they do...
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor & Yasmin Khan & Graham O'Brien & Ryan Sinclair
Comments: 15
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you have ever read my brief and now deleted unfinished story that contained Bill and Twleve then this is a treat for you because I have decided to take the idea again and apply it to just the Fam and Thirteen this time

"She's doing it again, by the way-" Ryan whispers the moment he enters the TARDIS kitchen. "-Just spotted her staring at nothing in the console room."

Yaz sighs and turns away from the kettle. "Should we say anything to her? Because it's getting to be every day now."

"No point," Graham grumbles from the sofa. He places down his book and removes his glasses, slotting them into their case before popping it into his jacket. "She'll only fob us off if we ask direct questions about that Master bloke or her home planet or whatever stuff that she said."

"But she keeps doing it."

"I know, cockle, but trust me," Graham pulls himself up from the sofa with a soft grunt. "Pushing ain't gonna make her tell us what is wrong and we can't go in there without some sort of plan about what we're gonna ask."

Yaz sighs once again and nods. "I worry about her-"

"We all worry about her, mate," Ryan says as he reaches into a cupboard for cereal. "I dunno, back when my ma died I kinda shut in on myself, no matter what me nan asked or said I wouldn't really respond to her 'cos I didn't want to, 'cos no matter what she said or did nothing would bring me mum back."

"You think it's something like that?"

"No, Yaz, I'm just saying that I might understand what she's going through," Ryan says, eyes flicking up from his cereal for a moment. "She said she didn't have family, lost them a long time ago, but the way she is acting says a lot about her."

Graham nods in agreement. "I get what Ryan's saying," He leans against the counter. "It's like she's running, you know? Away from what, I don't know, but she's running that's for certain."

"Running?"

Graham looks towards Yaz. "Not to put a downer on the mood or anything, but if what she says about her family is true then me and her-" He points towards the kitchen door. "-have some things in common as well."

"What do you mean, Graham?"

"My parents are dead, I had no siblings, and I moved around too much for my cousins to keep in contact with me," He looks at Ryan. "Before Grace and Ryan, I didn't really have family, or people I called family, so in a way me and her, we're the same, she didn't have family, now she has family, like I do." He shrugs. "I ran for years, from place to place, searching for anything I guess, then I found it when I was sick, and I spose she kinda did the same, didn't she?"

Yaz doesn't quite know how to respond to Graham's comment, she shuffles from foot to foot, unsure.

"Anyway," Graham notices the uncomfortable atmosphere and decides to change the subject. "I'm just saying that I get it if what she's dealt with is similar to what I dealt with."

"Yeah," Yaz nods. "I guess," She clings to her arms. "Still doesn't make me feel happy for her if she's doing this."

"Look," Ryan speaks over a mouthful of cereal. Graham frowns at him. "We just gotta bide our time and wait until we have the best opportunity to ask her."

"Don't eat with your mouth full."

Ryan proceeds to shove more cereal into his mouth as a form of protest. He speaks, the sound coming out in a garbled mess of words and Graham pulls a horrified expression.

"Ryan," Yaz crosses her arms against her chest. "I think Graham was right-"

Ryan swallows his mouthful. "I was asking what do you think we're gonna do today?"

"Dunno," Yaz shrugs. "I wonder if she'll join us."

"We can only ask," Graham says. "I'm heading there now, are you two-"

"Yeah," Yaz decides, forgoing her usual morning cup of tea. "I'll come with you."

"Catch you up," Ryan waves them on.

Graham smiles at his grandson before turning and leaving the kitchen with Yaz. It's a short trip towards the console room, and it's one they take in silence for the most part.

"Graham."

"Yeah, cockle?"

"I didn't know that about you."

Graham shrugs slightly. "Don't make a habit of telling people, do I?"

"I suppose so," Yaz agrees. "But it does make me wonder about the Doctor now."

Graham stares ahead for a long moment. "I guess," He glances towards Yaz. "She'll tell us when she's ready."

"What if she's never ready?"

Graham presses his mouth into a thin line. "We just have to give her time, Yaz, that's all we can do 'cos we can't push her or force her to tell us."

"I know, but-"

"You care for her," Graham interjects with a knowing look. "And you want her to be happy, you want her to know you're here for her, and believe me, she does know it, but whatever happened is probably hard for her to say, so you just gotta wait."

Yaz nods, accepting Graham's aged wisdom and experience for what it is even though it's not exactly the comforting reassurance she needed. Something is up with the Doctor, something she doesn't want to share because whatever it is is hard to speak about. And that's rough to think about.

"We're here now," Graham says. "Hey, Doc-"

"Graham, Yaz," The Doctor's head snaps to them. Her brows furrow. "Where is Ryan?"

"Stuffing his face with cereal," Graham answers. "He'll be along soon enough."

"Good," The Doctor nods. Her eyes flick back to the console once more.

Yaz notices, and she can't quite help herself from asking. "What are you looking at?"

The Doctor looks up at Yaz and back to the console again. "I picked up a signal-"

"What sort of signal?" Graham probes as he steps closer. His eyes linger on the display before moving off when it's obvious he can't read it. "Dangerous?"

"I don't know," The Doctor answers. "Strange-"

"How strange?"

"There is a hotel complex built on a moon that orbits Zhugi-

"Zhu-what?"

"Zhugi, Graham," The Doctor stares at the older human. "Colony settled in 2160, they've had a few issues now and then, but it seems the hotel on their nearest moon gives them all the money they need to run quite well now."

"Okay, Doc, but how is that strange, then?"

"They send out invitations to people, telling them they've won a trip there, Graham, it's strange-"

"Lot's of places do that," Graham helpfully points out. "Hell, I've even gone on some-"

"Did people go missing on the ones you went on?"

"Well, there was this one case with a lass called Barb-"

"Under weird circumstances, Graham?"

"Uh, no, but she-"

"And then did she cease to exist? Like she was deleted from history never to be heard from again by the people who were her family?"

"Fine, when you put it like that, then yeah, it's strange," Graham frowns at her. "I was only tryin' to help with suggestions, no need to bite my damn head off."

"Oh," The Doctor says. "Was I being rude?"

"Kinda, yeah," Yaz answers with a tight smile. She's been snapped at, now Graham has. "So, missing people?" She says, trying to smooth the tension and only succeeding by a little bit. "How bad is it?"

"It doesn't happen all the time, but it's happening a lot more frequently now," The Doctor turns from Graham and gestures towards the console. "See, the invitations are only given out to people from Zhugi," She furrows her browns at the display. "Which means the only people going missing are people from the planet, and that means they're human."

"So, no one else then?"

"Nope," The Doctor looks away from the console and stares into space. "Any guest from another part of space that goes there has a lovely holiday, but those people from Zhugi, humans, something happens that is covered up-"

"And this is a problem."

"Obviously."

Graham decides to ignore the mardy comment. "I'm guessing you want to go and check it out, then."

The Doctor nods. "I have ideas, but-" She places her hands on her hips. "-I don't like them because it's not safe."

"Don't like what?" Ryan asks from the top of the stairs. "Feels like I missed a lot."

Graham glances over to his grandson. "You have," He informs. "Cos the Doc's found a freaky moon that kidnaps people and wants us to check it out."

"Oh," Ryan nods. "Like a Tuesday then?"

"Nah, I was thinking that this is more a Friday and things like the death-eyed turtles were a Tuesday-"

"I have apologised for them before, Graham." The Doctor frowns, but her face lightens somewhat. "And I meant I want to check it out-"

"Doctor," Yaz watches her. "We're here with you-"

"People are going missing."

Yaz looks at Ryan and Graham, waiting to see if they'll step in. They don't. "And we've looked into things like this before, what is different now?"

"My plan," The Doctor exhales. "It's risky, and I don't want to-" Her hand waves in the air. "-should go by myself, should drop you three back."

"Nah," Graham finally steps in. "We're coming with you whether you want us to come or not."

"Yeah," Ryan claps Graham on the shoulder. "So, what is the plan then?"

The Doctor stares at each of them. "Zhugi is a human colony."

"Yeah, you've said."

"Which means the people who go missing are humans-"

"Said that as well."

"I am getting there, Graham," The Doctor scowls at Graham. "I need a human to be invited because I'm not human, they'd know if I was trying to pass myself off as human and the other options would leave me with no memory of who I am, so, yeah, I need a human."

Yaz, Graham, and Ryan share a look between themselves, all instantly knowing what she's asking.

"All right," Graham steps forward. "I'll be your guinea pig for this trip, Doc."

"Wait-" Ryan pulls him back. "I ain't having that."

"Yeah," Yaz brows knit together as she stares at Graham. "We all should get a decision-"

"And I have made it," Graham says. "It's me, and that's it."

"No, Graham-"

"Ryan, son," Graham turns and looks at the pair of them. "You think I'm gonna let you two act as bait? I made a promise to Grace to keep you safe, and well, Yaz, I didn't promise your folks, but I plan to keep the promise I made to Grace count towards you as well."

"Doctor," Yaz stares towards the alien woman. "You can't let him do this; I could do it-"

"No," Graham shakes his head. "What sort of grandad would I be if I let you go and put yourself in danger like this? End of discussion, I'm doing it, or we're not doing it at all."

Yaz stares at the pair of them, mouth opening to argue.

"Yaz," The Doctor says, eyes locking against the young woman's. "Graham made the decision for me, and I'm not arguing with it, and I do only need one human for it," The Doctor mentions. "And as much as I am not happy for Graham to act as a guinea pig, I would rather it was just one of you, easier to keep an eye on one than three."

"See," Graham tries to reassure them all with a forced smile. "It's sorted."

"No, it ain't," Ryan mutters. "All right, fine, if Graham is being a stupid ass, then what are we doing?"

"It's only the guests that go missing-"

"You seem to know a lot about this, Doctor," Yaz points out with a raised eyebrow. She's still not happy, but she knows when to pick her battles, and this isn't one she could win, not when Graham and the Doctor are acting as the immovable object and unstoppable force. "Not having a go or anything, mind."

"I've spent my morning looking into it," The Doctor reveals with a slight shrug. "I know I said it, but it's been happening over the years."

"And no one stopped it?" Ryan voices the next question. "Like, at all?"

The Doctor shakes her head. "As I said, there is nothing to investigate, not when the people in question end up missing," She waves that point away and goes back to staring at Ryan and Yaz. "I could get you two jobs; you'll be able to move around in the background like I can."

"And we'll be safe?"

"Yeah," The Doctor nods. "It's just Graham that's at risk-"

"Now, you're making me worried-" Graham murmurs under his breath. He sighs and looks back at her. "-Better me than them though, plus I'm god awful at undercover work, I'll be more at home with a cocktail in my hand then trying to act as James Bond."

"Okay," The Doctor nods. "We can go now if you want because-" She makes her way around the console and collects a stack of wallets. "-I had the TARDIS make some of these a few years ago now, only just fished them from the swimming pool-" She holds out the damp wallets. "-psychic paper, one for each of you."

"Wicked," Ryan eagerly takes his and opens it with a grin. "It says my name and stuff in here-" He turns it around to show Graham. "-See?"

"It says you're a pillock, son."

"No, it doesn't!" Ryan exclaims as he snatches it back to look at it. "Oh, Graham, you're an idiot."

Graham bursts out laughing. "Got you good there, sunshine."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," Graham smiles smugly as he takes his and looks at it. "This gonna get me into the hotel?"

"Yup," The Doctor nods as she answers. "They won't question it."

"Good," Graham slips it into his jacket pocket. "Do I need to pack clothes or something, then?"

"Why?"

Graham slowly blinks at the Doctor. "I know you're you, but we don't all rock about in the same clothes day to day," He points out as he looks her up and down. "I'm gonna go and pack some stuff, see you all in a jiffy."

"So, jobs then?" Yaz says just as Graham leaves. "What would we be doing?"

"Your psychic paper will decide what is best for you two, as will mine," The Doctor answers with faith. "But I assume it'll be something to do with your natural skills."

"So, like being a mechanic or something?"

"Most likely, Ryan."

"Sweet," Ryan grins. "I mean, wait, it ain't gonna be future stuff 'cos then I won't know anything, and I'll look like an idiot-"

"You'll be fine, Ryan," Yaz reassures him with the truth. "Graham, though," Her eyes dart to the stairs. "Will he be safe?"

The Doctor follows her eyes, and she swallows down the growing nerves. She'd preferably none of them take on this role, but considering she's not human she doesn't have much of a choice. At least it's Graham, he's smart, and he's cautious, he won't do anything rash to risk himself.

She hopes anyway.

"Yeah, he'll be safe, Yaz," The Doctor says, slapping on a smile at them. "I'll make sure of it."


	2. Chapter 2

"You think it's all right to leave the TARDIS here?" Yaz ponders.

The Doctor glances back towards her ancient and most oldest friend. "I'm not happy but," She presses her lips into a thin line. "Can't risk the hotel finding out we never arrived via the shuttle, so my only choice is to leave her here."

"So, like what happened on Kerblam! then?" Ryan recalls their previous trip with a shudder. "I hope people aren't being killed like that."

The Doctor makes an agreeable hum in response. "We won't know what is happening until we're up there, Ryan."

"And what about Graham, then?" Ryan looks towards the Doctor. "I know he's stubborn and everything, but I do worry that he's painted a great big red cross on his back."

The Doctor connects her eyes against Ryan's. "He won't be alone up there, and you all have the comlinks."

"Can they track them at all?" Yaz questions. "Worried it'll be risky to use them."

"Untracklable, Yaz," The Doctor offers her a small smile. "And I mixed them up with a little bit of the perception filter from the TARDIS, should hide them away or make it, so no one really thinks to look at them closely."

"Well, what about bugs then?" Ryan raises his left eyebrow. "Bugged rooms, you know, that sort of thing."

"You two are untrusting today-"

"People missing on the moon without a trace kinda makes us cautious," Ryan counters.

"Fair point," The Doctor agrees. "I can always give them a scan over to make sure-"

"For our rooms maybe," Ryan points out. "Will any of us be able to get into Graham's without people noticing?"

Yaz pulls out her psychic paper and stares at it. "I'm a valet," She murmurs with a frown. "I thought you said it would give us what we're good at-" She looks at the Doctor. "-I was expecting something else."

"Don't have coppers up there I expect, Yaz," Ryan teases her with a light shove. "So you're out of luck there."

"Yeah, but-"

"You're excellent at talking to people, Yaz," The Doctor interjects. "You learnt that from your job, and you know how to ask the right questions, no one should wonder why you're going into rooms and dropping off packages," She gives the young woman an encouraging smile. "And you know what you need to look for in rooms while you're there."

"Oh," Yaz blinks. "I didn't think of it like that."

"Yeah, at least you can mooch around," Ryan frowns at his own psychic paper. "I'm just someone who works in maintenance."

"No one questions the maintenance man as well, Ryan," The Doctor reassures. "You can go places that Yaz can't even go."

"All right, fair point, we never did question Charlie in the beginning when we helped Kerblam!," Ryan nods towards the Doctor as he pockets his psychic paper. "What about you, then? What's your role in all this?"

"I'm a doctor-"

"Bugger off," Ryan scoffs. "Wait, for reals?"

The Doctor shows them her psychic paper before shrugging. "Guess the hotel is acting as a legitimate business; it makes sense that they would have a clinic."

"Are you ever a real doctor?"

"Ryan," Yaz playfully taps him on the arm. "That's rude."

"What?" Ryan stares at her. "It's a valid question, and you know it."

"I am," The Doctor answers truthfully. "Although my license has probably expired by now-" Her brows crease together. "Can't be all that different, though, can it?" She shrugs once again. "Come on, Fam, let's get to the shuttle."

"You think Graham's gone through the checking in place, all right?" Ryan murmurs to Yaz. "His shuttle ride out isn't for another four hours at least."

"Graham is smart," Yaz reassures. "He's probably having cocktails in the boarding lounge and making friends as we speak."

Ryan nods at that. "Yeah, that's so on-brand for him it's unreal," He smiles through the worry in his chest. "It'll be nice to see him on the other side, though."

"Agreed," Yaz replies. "I'm not happy that he's doing this."

"When he sets his mind to something it's hard to have him budge on it," Ryan explains. "Doubt we could've said anything really anyway."

"Yeah," Yaz sighs. "You're probably right."

Four hours later -

"Seat 2G, seat 2G-" Graham repeats like a mantra under his breath. His squints at the numbers above the seats in first class. "Ah-" He stops when he finds it, and quickly takes it, marvelling at the comfiness of it. "Never been in first class before," He mumbles to himself. "Should do it more often if this is how the other half-"

"First time?" Graham jumps at the sudden voice coming from directly behind him. "Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you, just overheard what you were saying."

Graham turns slowly, chest heaving slightly. He locks eyes with a reasonably young human man. "Nah, you're all right, cockle, was in a world of me own."

"Cockle?" The man raises an eyebrow.

"Mate?" Graham tries again, hoping that he'll understand that.

"Oh, yeah!" The man smiles. "Zhugi dialect is ever-changing, I can never keep up with it," The stranger holds out his hand towards Graham. "Yarah, and you?"

Graham shakes the offered hand. "I'm Graham," He introduces himself with an easy smile. Right, he can do this. Grace always liked how he could start up a conversation with a stranger on a cruise and be friends with them by the evening out. "I won one of those trips to the hotel."

"One of the lucky ones, then, eh?" Yarah winks and makes his way around to settle in the seat next to Graham. "I'm heading back there for business myself."

"Business?"

"Yup," Yarah reclines his seat. "All work, no pleasure, except we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming week I think."

Graham frowns at that. "How'd you mean?"

"I work at the hotel," Yarah smiles warmly. "You have any problems with anything, you come straight to me, and we'll sort it out for you."

"Uh, okay," Graham nods, baffled by the man's eagerness to impress. "You're not working now, though, are you?"

"Sorry, how do you mean?"

"Well," Graham glances around the slowly, but surely, filling cabin. "You can't be working while travelling, can you?"

Yarah shrugs. "Have to keep the Lunar Hotel in the good books for our patrons, don't I?"

"Yeah, but you don't have to be on the job with me," Graham reassures with a kind smile. "I won't tell your bosses."

"What part of Zhugi are you from?"

Graham thinks quickly, mind running over everything the Doctor told him. "Shal," He fibs. "The west side of it."

"Shal is nice this time of year, ain't it? And good people come from Shal."

Luckily for Graham, the Doctor did go over this with him, and for once, he paid attention. "Nah," He shakes his head. "I know some love the heat, but I kinda prefer the chilliness now and then, and summer? Well, it can get a bit too much in my honest opinion." Excellent, Graham, you nailed it, he says in his head, chuffed to bits that he did. When in doubt, just think of Essex and drab England.

"Good thing you're coming to the moon, then," Yarah smirks. "It's all cold up there."

"I spose it is," Graham mentions offhandedly. He won't bring up the fact that he has the first-hand experience of being in space, though. "What about you, where are you from?"

"Thuath," Yarah answers quickly. "Swampy and humid, guess I'm like you in that respect," He smiles again. "Love the moon, love looking down on home."

Graham looks out of the window and stares at the alien landscape. Its skies are a bloodred, the hills in the distance capped with gleaming shards of what looks to be glass. "Yeah, home."

"Ah, once you're up there," Yarah says, eyes locked onto the back of Graham's head. "You'll never want to leave again."

-

Yarah said his goodbyes the moment the shuttle landed, which makes sense in Graham's opinion. He snorts to himself, the young man takes his job way too seriously, but that's not a bad thing to have he supposes. It was nice chatting with him, at least it gave him something to do.

And he learnt a lot, so that's a plus. The Doc and the others will be well impressed with him.

Wherever they are.

He frowns up at the hotel, before turning them towards the dome overhead. "I hope that ain't gonna break," He mutters. "Don't fancy being in space again; once was enough for me."

Graham begins wheeling his case to the doors, and the moment he enters, he can't help but let out a sharp whistle. It draws the attention of a couple of nearby guests. "You can see the stars-" He points up at the glass roof on the ceiling. "-oh, that's cracking-" The aliens snap their heads to the glass, stalked eyes comically wide, and Graham realises he's put his foot right in it. "-oh, no! I mean it's a great view, not that it's cracking-"

There's a big warble of indignation, well Graham assumes that that was what it was, just before they dash away from the weird human.

"Good going, Graham, you bloody tit," Graham shakes his head. "Point at the glass and say it's cracking, you've got air for brains, you really do-"

"Excuse me, sir-" Graham's head snaps to the very familiar voice of Yasmin Khan, gone is her leather jacket and in its place is a pretty neat uniform. "May I get you checked in?"

"Uh, yeah," Graham nods at her, finding it extremely awkward to do so.

"I can take your bag for you-"

"Oh, no, you don't have to, Y-cockle," Graham corrects himself midway. "I can manage."

"No, I assure you," Yaz takes his bag from him with ease. "It's absolutely fine," She smiles that retail smile he knows all too well considering he used it himself with difficult passengers. "Now, if you would just follow me and I'll get you checked it and shown to your room."

"All right," Graham falls into step behind her. "Swanky hotel."

"Yeah," Yaz replies. "I've only just started."

"Oh," Graham tries to reply like he didn't know that. "How long have you been here, then?"

"Surprisingly," Yaz turns and faces him. "Today is my first day."

"And they have you doing this already?"

Yaz falters, and in Graham's opinion, that's some pretty decent acting on her part. "It's fine; I said I wanted to be thrown in at the deep end, love a challenge."

"I understand," Graham replies as nonchalantly as he can.

Yaz offers him another smile just as they reach the checking in desk. She looks towards the receptionist. "We have a-" She looks at Graham. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't ask-"

"It's O'Brien, Graham."

"Thanks," Yaz nods. "He's here to check in, Sandra."

The woman, Sandra, looks Graham over. "Come around here, Yaz," She gestures. "And I'll show you how to check in a guest-" Her eyes flick towards Graham. "-do you mind?"

"Um, no, course not," Graham shakes his head. "Everyone has to learn; I'm in no rush at all."

"Great," Sandra says. "Right, so Yaz, all you have to do is input the clients' name-"

And that's the part that Graham tunes out in favour of looking around at the different people and aliens. Can he call them aliens? Is he not an alien? He kinda is, Graham considers because he's not from Zhugi, he's from Earth.

Nah, nope, that's not a thought he really wants to have at the moment because he'll only confuse himself. He'll go back to looking at the different things dotted around instead. Chairs, what looks to be a water fountain. Hmm, he is parched.

"Is it all right if I go and get a cup of water?"

Sandra glances up at him. "Oh, absolutely," She smiles unnervingly. "We have your name, and you are on our system, we'll call you over if we need anything."

"Ta," Graham makes his way over to the fountain and pours himself a cup. "The future and they still have them plastic cup things," He dranks, feeling refreshed in an instant and taking another refill for the sake of it.

Graham walks back over to the check-in desk again, now sipping from the cup as he watches Yaz get to work gathering his keycard and case. "You all done?"

"Absolutely, Mr O'Brien," Sandra says. "Now, Yaz, why don't you take Graham to his room?"

"Right, yeah," Yaz pulls the case up and gestures towards the lifts.

Graham follows her once more, waiting in silence for the doors to close before opening his mouth to speak and shutting it just as quick when Yaz gives a very slight shake of her head.

"You're on the top floor, Mr O'Brien,"

"Penthouse?"

"No," Yaz states. "That's reserved for our director, Mr Mollari."

"I met an employee on my way up from Zhugi, a Yarah, never caught his last name, but if you see him at all can you drop a hello for me?" Graham requests. "It'll be nice to get to know some more people around here."

"Sure," Yaz responds in a neutral tone. "We're here," She walks out from the lift and leads Graham towards a door, opening it and holding it ajar for him.

Graham enters, and his eyes widen. "That's a big window," He walks forward and looks out of it in awe. The red planet is directly in view along with the entire grounds to the hotel.

Yaz shuts the door and places his case on the ground. "You good, Graham?"

Graham turns and faces Yaz. "Yeah, the trip was fine; what about you? Where is Ryan and the Doc?"

"Ryan is down in maintenance, and the Doctor is at the clinic, haven't had a chance to see them yet."

"Were you waiting on the doors for me?"

"Sorta," Yaz nods. "Wanted to show you to the desk," She sits on a chair. "Couldn't speak to you in the lift-"

"But you can in this room?"

Yaz grins and gestures to the case. "I stuck something to your case, activated it and waited until I could place it down."

"What is it?"

"It's a blocker," Yaz answers. "The Doctor told me how to use it."

"Makes sense," Graham nods, and he decides against asking how it works. "Where are you three staying?"

"I have a shared room with Ryan; thankfully, they stuck us together."

"And the Doc?"

"She's a doctor in the clinic," Yaz reveals. "She has her own room, not that I think she'll use it."

"Hm,"

"What?"

"Well, I can't really walk into the clinic to see her," Graham frowns. "I could break something or complain that something is wrong with the room to see Ryan, but with the Doc, I'm not sure-"

"Oh!" Yaz stands up. "I can help with that," She pulls out a comlink. "Use this; it's connected to mine, Ryan's, and the Doctor's," Graham accepts the small device from Yaz with a puzzled expression. "It's just like a walkie-talkie, Graham."

"That I do know," Graham smiles.

"Yeah," Yaz nods. "Well, I gotta be heading back down now," She turns to head towards the door. "We'll going to have a chat at around 8 pm, Graham," She glances towards him. "To go over the days' events."

"Got it," Graham confirms. "I'll be there."

"Well," Yaz chuckles. "You won't be physically there."

"Right, yeah."

Yaz pauses again. "There are brochures in the lobby, Graham, have a look through them."

"Why?"

"Me, Ryan, and the Doctor," Yaz brows crease together. "We can't do the things guests can do," She looks at the cup in Graham's hand. "We're not allowed to drink from the fountains either."

"That sounds ridiculous."

"It's the rules," Yaz shrugs. "The water bottles in your room and within the diner are for you and other guests only."

Graham frowns. "So, what can you eat and drink?"

"They have that covered, guess they only want to serve paying customers in the long run."

"I ain't a paying customer, though."

"No," Yaz stares at Graham. "You aren't," She hesitates again. "Be careful, Graham-"

"I'm always careful."

"Yeah, but-" Yaz shuffles from foot to foot. "-please, you've put yourself at risk here, Ryan is anxious for you-"

Graham's brows turn concerned, and he quickly makes his way over to Yaz. "I'll be fine, promise you that," He smiles kindly. "And you can tell that to Ryan as well."

"Okay," Yaz nods. "And don't forget-"

"8 pm, got it," Graham nods back. "On the dot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch up with ryan and the doctor next :)


	3. Chapter 3

Whenever Graham went on a holiday with his mates, be it a stag do in Benidorm or a golfing trip down in Cornwall they would, without fail, poke fun at him for unpacking his suitcase and hanging everything up.

Even Grace at some points raised an eyebrow at him using a drawer for socks, but he's very particular about where everything goes. Socks in their own drawer, shirts hung up to stop them being creased, medicine in the-

"Oh, Graham, you idiot," He grunts out, frustrated at himself. "You bloody idiot."

He pats himself down, hoping he has them on him even though he knows where they exactly are.

On his bedside table in his room on the TARDIS.

"You brought everything with you minus the one thing you bleeding need," He runs a hand across his face before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Right, don't panic 'cos the Doc is here, and she can sort it out, bet she has something in that coat of hers."

He huffs and turns towards the desk in his room, grabbing his leather jacket from where he left it on the back of the chair and shrugging it on. He leaves his room, making the short walk to the lift and then down to the front desk. His eyes meet Yaz's on his way past, and he has to fight every instinct within him, telling him to smile at her. It feels rude to ignore her, but to keep her safe; it's better he does.

"Excuse me-" Sandra looks up with that eager to please smile. "I, uh-"

"What's the matter, hun?"

"Where is the clinic?" Graham asks. "Sorry, I'm bad with names, but the valet from before mentioned one-"

"Is there an issue we should be aware about, Mr O'Brien? Are you hurt?"

"What? No, no, I just-" Graham reddens slightly. "I left my prescription back home on Zhugi and was wondering if the Doc- a doctor at the clinic could work something out for me."

"Oh," Sandra leans across the desk and pats his hand. "Lot's of people forget, it's not an issue, we'll get you sorted right out."

"Great," Graham nods, relieved. "Can you point me in the direction?"

"I'm sure Yaz would be happy to show you there again," Sandra says as her eyes flick towards her. "Won't you, petal?"

"Yup," Yaz nods. "Happy to help, me."

"See?"

"Yeah," Graham nods. "Thanks." He turns and glances towards Yaz. "Uh, after you then."

"It's not that far away, Mr O'Brien," Yaz informs him in an all-business voice. "Doctor Martha Jones is new here-"

Martha Jones? Graham ponders the name choice, seems a bit more thought out than he expected. Maybe he expected something like Joan, Jane, or god forbid John Smith knowing her, but definitely not Martha, off all names. 

"Are you all new here?" Graham jokes around with Yaz.

Yaz glances his way; eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "No, not all of us, but there was a change in staff recently, not everyone can stay up here for long periods of time."

"Ah, right, makes sense I spose 'cos it's not like I see families working here, uh kinda like a cruise ship back home, you know?"

Yaz stares at Graham, eyes now widened, and she very carefully shakes her head.

And Graham knows why in an instant because the Doctor went over this. Zhugi, unlike Earth, doesn't have nearly the same level of ocean as she does and what ocean it does has is something you most definitely don't want to travel in if what the Doc said about the wildlife is anything to go by.

"Joking of course," Graham tries to save face. "Wouldn't want to be caught in the ocean at all unless you like the idea of becoming a meal."

Yaz forces a laugh at that. "Yeah," She agrees. "Okay, Mr O'Brien, the clinic is just down this corridor now-" She gestures towards her right. "-I can show you there, but I must get back to work after this."

"That's all right, cockle," Graham smiles at her. "I got it from here, ta," He turns and begins walking down the corridor. 

The moment he enters the clinic, he's reminded of the hospitals back on Earth. They really do all smell the same, even in the future. He chuckles to himself about that fact as he walks further into the room, eyes darting around.

"Uh-" Graham calls out as he leans around the desk to peak into the office. "-anyone there?"

"Yup!" A shout is heard, followed by a crash and a flash of blonde hair poking through the door. "Oh, Graham, it's you; thought it was someone else."

"Should you be using my first name?"

"It's fine," The Doctor waves off Graham's concern. "My first port of call was scanning everything here with my sonic, found no bugs; everything is fine."

"Uh-huh," Graham nods. "Trust you on that, then, I suppose."

"Why are you here?" The Doctor squints at him. "Shouldn't you be doing human things like sitting by the pool or something," She frowns. "What do you humans do on holiday?"

"Doc, stop-" Graham raises a hand. "I will do that, but first I need something-"

"What?"

"I left my prescription back on the TARDIS."

"Graham," The Doctor stares at him. "You brought such a big bag and left your medicine behind?"

"I didn't mean to," Graham defends himself. "But I had a lot on my mind, forget, not my fault."

The Doctor grunts at him before grabbing him by the arm and pulling him into her office. "Sit."

Graham follows the order and sits in the uncomfortable patient chair. "What are you gonna give me?"

"What did you leave behind?"

"Uh," Graham taps a hand against the armrest to his chair. "Everything."

"Everything?" The Doctor's brows crease at that.

Graham looks at her. "I have all the tablets I need in the day boxes; Grace made me set them out like that," He shrugs. "I left the entire thing behind, so I got nothing at all," The Doctor hums and moves away. He watches her rifles through a cupboard. "What are you getting?"

"All in one," The Doctor replies. "Easier for you that way and no one will question it."

"How do you know what I take?"

The Doctor pokes her head around the cupboard door. "I scanned you."

"What?!"

She shrugs. "Scanned you, needed to know what medicine you took, was the quickest way to know-"

"You never asked."

"You didn't know I did it, anyway-" She waves her hand, indicating for Graham to shut up. "I have what you need here."

Graham stares at the bottle with a dubious expression when she hands it over to him. "Sure?" He frowns. "This ain't gonna make me grow weird things, is it?"

"Weird things?"

"You know-" He makes an awkward gesture.

"Graham, what are you doing?"

Graham moves his hands from his head. "Like horns or something-"

"Why would I give you something that would make you grow horns?"

"Never mind," Graham shakes his head. He stands up and pockets the bottle into his jacket. "Cheers, Doc-" He begins heading towards the door. "Yaz said she was gonna phone or com me or whatever it's called at eight; you'll be there, right?"

"Yup and Ryan will be as well," The Doctor nods. "In the meantime, be careful, Graham."

"Yeah, yeah," Graham nods before waving her goodbye and making his way out of the clinic. "I'm always careful," He murmurs to himself.

Right, holiday mode now that he's sorted his medicine out. Yaz did mention brochures, and he does love a brochure to flick through while he inevitably never makes up his mind about what he wants to do.

The trip back to the lobby is about as exciting as his trip to the clinic was, but he did marvel at the windows, so that's always a plus. It's strange, really, 'cos the grass isn't green, but it's there and if he looks far enough pass the dome sealing them in he can see the rocky landscape in the distance.

And that's pretty damn amazing in his opinion, as well as being terrifying.

Graham flicks through the brochures, throwing half of them back onto the rack. He looks through the ones he's selected again, and he's not really sure if he's going to get a chance to actually do them before the Doctor pokes her nose into their business too much.

Ah, he can dream-

"Mr O'Brien-"

"Gordon Bennett," Graham jumps, spinning to face the newcomer next to him. "Oh, it's you-" He exhales. "-mate, you gotta stop doing that."

Yarah presses his lips into a thin line. "Sorry, my mum did say I always had a knack for sneaking up on people."

"Yeah, well," Graham sighs. "I was caught up in looking at the brochures if I'm honest."

"Ooh," Yarah looks interested. "Does anything take your fancy?"

"Uh, well I haven't really looked through them yet," Graham admits. "Was going to find a place to have a sit-down-"

"Well, it's-" Yarah looks at his watch. "-coming up to dinner, you can always have a look through them in the dining room."

"Ain't that a bit rude?"

Yarah waves his concern away. "You're our honoured guest," He takes Graham by the arm and begins leading him into a direction he hasn't yet gone. "Have dinner, look through the brochures, decide if anything takes your fancy."

"Uh, all right," Graham replies in puzzlement. "You ain't gonna sit with me though?"

Yarah laughs at that. "No, of course not, the dining room is for guests, staff eat in the restricted area."

"Oh, right, hey about that-"

"Yeah?"

"Why can't staff drink from the water fountains?"

Yarah frowns. "How do you know they can't?"

"Well, I don't wanna name names, but it ain't fair, is it?"

"Other guests have complained in the past," Yarah grimaces. "But don't tell my boss that I said that, though."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Graham shakes his head and claps Yarah on the arm. "Well, if I see you or anything one else taking a drink I ain't gonna grass you up, all right, cockle?"

Yarah nods at that and smiles. "I'll pass that around then to the others, thanks," He smiles. "Oh, and between you and me, just stick to the bottled water, everything else here isn't as good, and you can't get much fresher than that."

Graham raises an eyebrow before shrugging and entering the dining room. He selects a seat nearest one of the windows, and away from the aliens giving him the stink eye. Honestly, it was just a figure of speech, and the window didn't crack, so what's their problem?

The hotel, well the dining room, looks busy and it seems that all sorts are here. Young couples, older couples, families. Graham supposes, in a way, he is here with his family as well only they're not together.

He grabs at the menu and glances through it, deciding to go with the safe options of food that looks similar to what he has back on Earth. Hey, they can't be that bad, they do have a little symbol of a human next to them, that has to mean it's safe for him to eat, right? He looks around the dining room and catches the eye of a server.

"Ready to order?"

"Yeah," Graham nods. "First day here, wasn't sure how it worked and all," He explains with a smile. "But I figured out what I want, uh-" He gestures towards it. "-not sure I can pronounce that if I'm honest."

"No, worries," The server smiles. "I have it down for you," She taps at her tablet. "How would you like that cooked? Medium is what people usually go for."

"Yeah, ta, that'll be grand," Graham decides on. "And I'll have just a bottle of water if that's okay?"

"Perfectly okay," The server smiles as she collects his menu. "I'll bring the water over in a second."

"Cheers," Graham says as he settles back into his seat. He looks out of the window, eyes flicking over the distant grey mountains and then out to space and onto the red planet itself.

It's quite idyllic if you forget about the fact that people are missing. He gives a brief nod to the server when she drops his water off. He'll toast himself then seeing that his family are currently off working god knows where.

Huh, well at least Yarah was right, the water is probably the freshes he's ever drunk.


End file.
